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Clover (Trifolium) is a genus of about 300 species of plants in the pea family Fabaceae. They are found chiefly in northern temperate regions, but also, like many other north temperate genera, on the mountains in the tropics. The plants are small annual or perennial herbs with trifoliate (rarely 5- or 7-foliate) leaves, with stipules adnate to the leaf-stalk, and heads or dense spikes of small red, purple, white, or rarely yellow flowers; the small, few-seeded pods are enclosed in the calyx. Eighteen species are native in Britain, and several are extensively cultivated as fodder-plants. The most widely cultivated clovers are White clover Trifolium repens and Red clover Trifolium pratense.
Other closely related genera often called clovers include Melilotus (sweet clover) and Medicago (alfalfa or 'calvary clover').
The scientific name derives from the Latin tres, three, and folium, a leaf, so called from the characteristic form of the leaf, which has three leaflets (trifoliate), hence the popular name trefoil. Clovers are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species - see list of Lepidoptera which feed on Clovers.
A common idiom is "to be in clover", meaning to be living a carefree life of ease, comfort, or prosperity.
Clover, either sown alone or in mixture with rye-grass, has for a long time formed a staple crop for soiling, for several reasons: it grows freely, shooting up again after repeated mowings; it produces an abundant crop; it is palatable to and nutritious for livestock; it grows in a great range of soils and climates; and it is appropriate either for pasturage or soiling. Except on certain rich calcareous clay soils, it has now, however, become an exceedingly precarious crop. The seed germinates as freely as ever, when it is genuine, but this is unfortunately rare. In many areas, farmers are finding that the clover has either entirely disappeared by mid spring, or is found only in capricious patches here and there over the field. No satisfactory explanation of this "clover-sickness" has yet been given, nor has any certain remedy been discovered. However, one important fact is now well established; when crop rotations are managed so that clover does not recur at shorter intervals than eight years, it grows with much of its pristine vigour. The knowledge of this fact now determines many farmers in varying their rotation so as to secure this important end. At one time there was a somewhat prevalent belief that the introduction of beans into the rotation had a specific influence of a beneficial kind on the clover when it came next to be sown; but the true explanation seems to be that the beans operate favourably only by the incidental circumstance of almost necessarily lengthening the interval between the recurrences of clover.
Clover sickness may be linked to pollinator decline. Beekeepers are often in heavy demand from farmers with clover pastures, who want bees placed on their farms, as farmers observe the increased reseeding that occurs with increased bee activity.
T. incarnatum, Crimson or Italian clover, though not hardy enough to withstand the climate of Scotland in ordinary winters, is a most valuable forage crop in England. It is sown as quickly as possible after the removal of a grain crop at the rate of 20-22 kg/ha. It is found to succeed better when only the surface of the soil is stirred by the scarifier and harrow than when a ploughing i1 given. It grows rapidly in spring, and yields an abundant crop of green food, peculiarly palatable to live stock. It is also suitable for making into hay. Only one cutting, however, can be obtained, as it does not shoot again after being mown.
Red clover flowersT. repens, White or Dutch clover, is a perennial abundant in meadows and good pastures. The flowers are white or pinkish, becoming brown and deflexed as the corolla fades. T. hybridum, Alsike or Swedish clover, is a perennial which was introduced early in the 19th century and has now become naturalized in Britain. The flowers are white or rosy, and resemble those of the last species. T. medium, meadow or zigzag clover, a perennial with straggling flexuous stems and rose-purple flowers, is of little agricultural value. Other British species are: T. arvense, Hare's-foot trefoil; found in fields and dry pastures, a soft hairy plant with minute white or pale pink flowers and feathery sepals; T. fragiferum, Strawberry clover, with denselyflowered, globose, rose-purple heads and swollen calyxes; T. procumbens, Hop trefoil, on dry pastures and roadsides, the heads of pale yellow flowers suggesting miniature hops; and the somewhat similar T. minus, common in pastures and roadsides, with smaller heads and small yellow flowers turning dark brown. The last named is often called Shamrock. Specimens of shamrock and other clovers are not infrequently found with four leaflets, and, like other rarities, are considered lucky.
Clovers are a valuable survival food, as they are high in protein, widespread, and abundant. They are not easy to digest raw, but this can be easily fixed by boiling for 5-10 minutes. Dried flowerheads and seedpods can also be ground up into a nutritious flour and mixed with other foods. Dried flowerheads also steeped in hot water for a healthy, tasty tea.
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Dried flowerheads also steeped in hot water for a healthy, tasty tea. In recent years the government of Aruba has shown an increased interest in acknowledging the cultural and historical importance of its native language. Dried flowerheads and seedpods can also be ground up into a nutritious flour and mixed with other foods. Islanders often speak Papiamento, English, Dutch and Spanish. They are not easy to digest raw, but this can be easily fixed by boiling for 5-10 minutes. However, islanders are known to speak many languages. Clovers are a valuable survival food, as they are high in protein, widespread, and abundant. The cultural mixture has given way to a linguistic mixture known as "Papiamento". Specimens of shamrock and other clovers are not infrequently found with four leaflets, and, like other rarities, are considered lucky. Language can be seen as an important part of island culture in Aruba. The last named is often called Shamrock. See also: Music of Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles. minus, common in pastures and roadsides, with smaller heads and small yellow flowers turning dark brown. Carnival is usually held from the beginning of January until the end of February, with a large parade on the final Sunday of the festivities. procumbens, Hop trefoil, on dry pastures and roadsides, the heads of pale yellow flowers suggesting miniature hops; and the somewhat similar T. The holiday of Carnival is an important one in Aruba, as it is in many Caribbean and Latin American countries. fragiferum, Strawberry clover, with denselyflowered, globose, rose-purple heads and swollen calyxes; T. It also connects Aruba with Europe through the Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands. arvense, Hare's-foot trefoil; found in fields and dry pastures, a soft hairy plant with minute white or pale pink flowers and feathery sepals; T. This airport has access to various cities across the eastern U.S., from Miami, Orlando, Houston, Atlanta to New York. Other British species are: T. Queen Beatrix International Airport, located near Oranjestad, Aruba, currently serves the whole island of Aruba. medium, meadow or zigzag clover, a perennial with straggling flexuous stems and rose-purple flowers, is of little agricultural value. Tourism from the United States has recently also increased the visibility of American culture on the island. T. Dutch influence can still be seen, even though not much of the population is of Dutch origin. The flowers are white or rosy, and resemble those of the last species. The origins of the population and location of the island give Aruba a mixed culture. hybridum, Alsike or Swedish clover, is a perennial which was introduced early in the 19th century and has now become naturalized in Britain. Main article: Culture of Aruba. T. Languages: Dutch (official), Papiamento (national language), Spanish, English. The flowers are white or pinkish, becoming brown and deflexed as the corolla fades. Religions: Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish. repens, White or Dutch clover, is a perennial abundant in meadows and good pastures. Nationality: It is also suitable for making into hay. Infant mortality rate:. It grows rapidly in spring, and yields an abundant crop of green food, peculiarly palatable to live stock. Sex ratio: incarnatum, Crimson or Italian clover, though not hardy enough to withstand the climate of Scotland in ordinary winters, is a most valuable forage crop in England. Birth rate: 11.86 births/1,000 population (2003 est.). T. Population growth rate: 0.55% (2003 est.). Beekeepers are often in heavy demand from farmers with clover pastures, who want bees placed on their farms, as farmers observe the increased reseeding that occurs with increased bee activity. Median age:. Clover sickness may be linked to pollinator decline. Age structure:. At one time there was a somewhat prevalent belief that the introduction of beans into the rotation had a specific influence of a beneficial kind on the clover when it came next to be sown; but the true explanation seems to be that the beans operate favourably only by the incidental circumstance of almost necessarily lengthening the interval between the recurrences of clover. Population: 103,000( April 2004 est.). The knowledge of this fact now determines many farmers in varying their rotation so as to secure this important end. Islanders can often speak four or more languages and are mostly Roman Catholic. However, one important fact is now well established; when crop rotations are managed so that clover does not recur at shorter intervals than eight years, it grows with much of its pristine vigour. Spanish and English are also spoken. No satisfactory explanation of this "clover-sickness" has yet been given, nor has any certain remedy been discovered. This creole language is formed primarily from 16th century Portuguese, and several other languages. In many areas, farmers are finding that the clover has either entirely disappeared by mid spring, or is found only in capricious patches here and there over the field. The two official languages are the Dutch language and the predominant, national language Papiamento, which is classified as a Creole language. The seed germinates as freely as ever, when it is genuine, but this is unfortunately rare. Recently there has been substantial immigration to the island from neighboring Latin American and Caribbean nations, attracted by the lure of well-paying jobs. Except on certain rich calcareous clay soils, it has now, however, become an exceedingly precarious crop. The majority of the population is descended from Arawak, Dutch and Spanish ancestors. Clover, either sown alone or in mixture with rye-grass, has for a long time formed a staple crop for soiling, for several reasons: it grows freely, shooting up again after repeated mowings; it produces an abundant crop; it is palatable to and nutritious for livestock; it grows in a great range of soils and climates; and it is appropriate either for pasturage or soiling. No full-blooded Indians remain, but the features of the islanders clearly indicate their genetic heritage. . The Arawak heritage is stronger on Aruba than on most Caribbean islands. A common idiom is "to be in clover", meaning to be living a carefree life of ease, comfort, or prosperity. The Dutch, who took control a century later, left the Arawaks to graze livestock, using the island as a source of meat for other Dutch possessions in the Caribbean. Clovers are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species - see list of Lepidoptera which feed on Clovers. In 1515, the Spanish transported the entire population to Hispaniola to work in the copper mines; most were allowed to return when the mines were tapped out. The scientific name derives from the Latin tres, three, and folium, a leaf, so called from the characteristic form of the leaf, which has three leaflets (trifoliate), hence the popular name trefoil. Having poor soil and aridity, Aruba was saved from plantation economics and the slave trade. Other closely related genera often called clovers include Melilotus (sweet clover) and Medicago (alfalfa or 'calvary clover'). The Aruban guilder has a fixed exchange rate with the United States dollar of 1.79:1. The most widely cultivated clovers are White clover Trifolium repens and Red clover Trifolium pratense. Aruba receives some development aid from the Dutch government each year. Eighteen species are native in Britain, and several are extensively cultivated as fodder-plants. Deficit spending has been a staple in Aruba's history, and modestly high inflation has been present as well, although recent efforts at tightening monetary policy may correct this. The plants are small annual or perennial herbs with trifoliate (rarely 5- or 7-foliate) leaves, with stipules adnate to the leaf-stalk, and heads or dense spikes of small red, purple, white, or rarely yellow flowers; the small, few-seeded pods are enclosed in the calyx. The size of the agriculture and manufacturing industries remains minimal. They are found chiefly in northern temperate regions, but also, like many other north temperate genera, on the mountains in the tropics. Oil processing is the dominant industry in Aruba, despite expansion of the tourism sector. Clover (Trifolium) is a genus of about 300 species of plants in the pea family Fabaceae. Most of the tourists are from Canada, the European Union and other places notably the United States, which is the country's largest trading partner. About half of the Aruban Gross National Product is earned with tourism or related activities. Aruba enjoys one of the highest standards of living in the Caribbean region, with low poverty and unemployment rates. Main article: Economy of Aruba. Yearly precipitation barely reaches 500 mm (20 in), most of it falling in late autumn. Temperatures are almost constant at about 28 °C (82 °F), moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean. Little seasonal temperature variation exists, which helps Aruba to attract tourists all year round. The local climate is a pleasant tropical marine climate. On the east are Curaçao and Bonaire,two island territories which form the southwest part of the Netherlands Antilles; Aruba and these two Netherlands Antilles islands are also known as the ABC islands. As a separate member state of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the island/state has no administrative subdivisions. Oranjestad, the capital, is located at 12°19′N 70°1′W. The interior of the island features some rolling hills, the better two of which are called Hooiberg at 165 metres (541 ft) and Mount Jamanota, which is the highest on the island, at 188 metres (617 ft) above sea level. The northern and eastern coasts, lacking this protection, are considerably more battered by the sea and have been left largely untouched by humans. Most of these are located on the western and southern coasts of the island, which are relatively sheltered from fierce ocean currents. Main article: Geography of Aruba Aruba is a generally flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches. Members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms. They are elected by the parliament, the unicameral Legislature or Staten, which holds 21 seats. The head of government is the Prime Minister, who forms, together with the Council of Ministers, the executive branch of the government. The Aruban head of state is the ruling monarch of the Netherlands, who is represented in Aruba by a governor, appointed for a six-year term. Aruba has its own laws, constitution, government, and currency. Aruba is a part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, but maintains full control over its own affairs except for issues dealing with national defence, citizenship, foreign affairs, and extradition. Main article: Politics of Aruba. Movement toward full independence by 1996 was halted at Aruba's request in 1990. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles on January 1, 1986, and became a separate, self-governing member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. A 19th-century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The island's economy has been dominated by three main industries. Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. Main article: History of Aruba. . This climate has helped tourism, however, as visitors to the island can reliably expect warm, sunny weather. Unlike much of the Caribbean region, it has a dry climate and an arid, cactus-strewn landscape. Aruba is an island in the Caribbean Sea, just a short distance north of the Venezuelan Paraguaná Peninsula, and it forms a part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Military of Aruba. Transportation in Aruba. Foreign relations of Aruba. Communications in Aruba. Natalee Holloway [2]. Palm and Eagle Beaches. Natural Pool. Natural Bridge (Collapsed on September 2, 2005 [1]). Lourdes Grotto. Hooiberg. Frenchman's Pass. California Lighthouse. Ayo and Casibari Rock Formations. Arikok National Park. Alto Vista Chapel. female: 82.34 years (2003 est.). male: 75.48 years. total population: 78.83 years. male: 6.99 deaths/1,000 live births. female: 5.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.). total: 6.14 deaths/1,000 live births. female: 38.5 years (2002). male: 35.3 years. total: 37.1 years. 65 years and over: 11% (male 3,215; female 4,586) (2003 est.). 15-64 years: 68.3% (male 23,427; female 24,955). 0-14 years: 20.7% (male 7,540; female 7,121). |